higgins



(No Model.)

C. S. HIGGINS. SOAP HOLDER. No. 476,014. Patented Mayl, 1892.

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1721 /ff eig/f@ Snom/hoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. HIGGINS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MARY FRANCIS B.HIGGINS, OF SAME PLACE.

SOAP-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,014, dated May 31,1892.

v Application filed August 10, 1891. Serial No. 402.230. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Soap-Holders; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved soap holder or receptacle for use inpublic places, such as hotel washerooms and the like, where persons areaccustomedto wash in succession. Ordinarily in such places each personis com` pelled to use the same cake of soap, which is unpleasant tothose of fastidious tastes and objectionable, and even dangerous onsanitary grounds, as the cake of soap thus used furnishes a means ofcommunicating disease from one person to another.

My invention consists of a receptacle or holder of such size and shapein cross-section as to correspond to the size and shape of the cakes ofsoap to be held therein, said receptacle being provided with a closedlid or top and a looking device at its side; also, it has an opening inits lower front portion through which the cakes of soap may be withdrawnone by one; also, the holder or receptacle is provided with aforwardly-movable slide in its bottom and with supportingbrackets on itsrear side, whereby it may be attached to a wall or other support.

The objects of my invention are, first, to obviate the above objectionsby furnishing the soap in separate cakes of suiiicient size to be usedbut once; second, to provide a soap holder or receptacle in which suchcakes may be placed and held, the receptacle being so constructed andthe cakes so arranged therein that they will descend by gravity and maybe withdrawn one at a time for use, as more fully hereinafter explained.These objects are accomplished by the peculiar construction andarrangement or combination of the parts illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, in which the samereference-numerals indicate the same parts, and in which- Figure 1represents a front elevation of my improved soap holder or receptacle,showing the same open and the arrangement of the cakes of soap therein;Fig. 2, a perspective view of the bottom of said holder or receptacle,looking from above; Fig. 3, a similar View of the lower surface of saidbottom, looking toward the front end of the same; Fig. 4, a simi- 4larview with the removable slide removed; Fig. 5, a detail end view of theremovable slide.

In the drawings the numeral l indicates the soap holder or receptacle,which is made of suitable dimensions to contain the desired number ofcakes of soap, and in cross-section is of a size to correspond to orapproximate the contour of said cakes. In the present instance saidholder or receptacle is represented as oval in shape in cross-section.At its lower front portion it is formed with the opening 2, which is ofjust sufficient size to permit the passage of a single cake of soap at atime. rlhe form of this opening also permits the two lower cakes to beseparated in case they adhere, and thus provision is made for 'the easyand outward passage of all the cakes of soap from the holder orreceptacle. At its top or upper end the receptacle is provided with theclosed lid or cover 3.

The holder or receptacle l is formed of the two equal-sized front andrear parts 4 and 5, which are divided vertically and connected by thehinges 6 at their junction on theirleft sides and fastened by thelocking devices 7 on their right or opposite sides.

The bottom 8 of the holder or receptacle is removably secured to therear part 5 thereof by means of set-screws passed through the holes 9,formed in said bottom and registering with corresponding holes formed inthe lower end of said rear part of the receptacle. This bottom is formedwith the rectangular recess l0, which is open at its rear end and withinwhich is mounted the movable slide ll, which is formed with thelongitudinal grooves l2 in its edges for fitting over the metal alongthe sides of said recess and guiding said slide during itsreciprocations. The front portion of the movable slide isinclineddownwardly and provided with the flange 13 at its front edge forstopping the descent of the withdrawn cakes of soap.

Upon the under side of the movable slide IOO 11, at its center, isformed or secured the rack-bar lll, with which meshes the segmentgear15, which is mounted upon the transverse shaft 1G, which is journaled inthe lower ends of the brackets 17, which extend downwardly from theunder side of the bottom of the receptacle. To the right end of thisshaft is secured the upwardly and forwardly projec'ting finger-lever 19,and around said shaft is wound the spiral spring 1S), which is se-`cured at its ends to the brackets 17. lVhen said finger-lever is movedforwardly and downwardly, said spiral spring becomes wound very tightlyaround the shaft, and when said lever is released it acts to reverse themovement of said shaft, turn the segmentgear 15, which meshes with therack-bar 14, and return the movable slide 1l to the rear end of thebottom of the receptacle and in position for its raised front end 20 tomove forward another cake of soap. To prevent the spiral spring frommoving said slide too far forward, a vertical pin 21 is secured to theunder side of said slide near one of its edges and is arranged to comein contact with the horizontal pin 22, which projects inwardly from theupper end of one of the brackets 17. For strengthening the bottom ofthoholder or receptacle it is provided on its lower surface along theedges of the recess 10 with the downwardly-projecting flanges 23.

The rear or back part of the holder or receptacle is provided with oneor more brackets 39, having perforations through which screws or otherfastening devices are passed for securing the receptacle to a wall orother support in vertical position; also, said receptacle is preferablyformed of metal and may be ornamented as desired; also, it may besupported in any suitable manner, such as by an ornamental bracket orshelf,instead of by the brackets hereinbefore described.

Having thus fully described thev construction and arrangement orcombination of the several parts of my invention, its advantages, andthe lnanncr of using the same, what I claim as new is- 1. A holder orreceptacle for cakes of soap, which is formed in its front lower portionwith an opening of a size sufficient to permit of the withdrawal of asingle cake at a time, Ain combination with a removable and recessedbottom and a forwardly-movable slide raised above said bottom, andmechanism for reciprocating said slide, and mechanism for operating thesame, including a rack-bar on the slide, a segment-rack, aforwardly-movable slide, a transverse shaft, and a spiral springsurrounding the same, substantially as described.

2. A holder or receptacle for cakes of soap, which is formed in itsfront lower portion with an opening of a size suficientto permit of thewithdrawal of a single cake at atime,in combination with a removable andrecessed bottom and a forwardly movable slide raised above the same, andmechanism for reciprocating said slide, and mechanism for operating thesame, including a rack-bar on the slide, a segment-rack, aforwardly-movable slide, a transverse shaft, and a spiral springsurrounding the same, said shaft being provided with a finger-lever atone end, substantially as described.

3. Aholder or receptacle forcakes of soap, which is formed in itsfrontlower portion with an opening of a size sufficient to permit of thewithdrawal of a single cake atatime, in combination with a removable andrecessed bottom, and a forwardlymovable slide raised above the same, andmechanism for reciprocatn g said slide, and mechanism for operating .thesame, including a rack-bar on the slide, a

segment-rack, a forwardly-movable slide, a transverse shaft, and aspiralspring surrounding the same, said shaft being provided with afinger-lever at one end, which projects upward and forward,substantially as described.

4. In aholder or receptacle for cakes of soap, a slide formed withlongitudinal grooves in its sides or edges, in combination with astationary recessed and removable bottom, a transverse shaft, and aspiral spring surrounding the same, and gearing between said shaft andthe slide, substantially as described.

5. .A holder or receptacle for cakes of soap, formed in two verticalparts and provided at its lower front end with an opening of asuflicient size to permit of the withdrawal of a single cake at a timeand with a forwardlymovable slide for effecting the removal of saidcake, in combination with a rack-bar, a segment-gear, and means foroperatin g the same, said means including a transverse shaft, a spiralspring surrounding the same, and means for operating said shaft, saidmeans consisting of an upward and forward extending {inger lever,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CI-IAS. S. HIGGINS.

Witnesses:

ISAAC LUBLIN, W. I-I. CORNELL.

ICO

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